During a Wednesday night MLS game in Frisco, Texas, players from Nashville SC and FC Dallas showed solidarity by taking a knee during the national anthem, but the response from fans was far from supportive, as many opted to boo the players.
Defender Reggie Cannon of FC Dallas expressed his disappointment at the negative fan reaction at Toyota Stadium. Following the anthem, his teammate Ryan Hollingshead apologized for the response.
Cannon shared his frustration with reporters, stating, “You can’t even have support from your own fans in your own stadium. It’s baffling to me. As a team, we strive to deliver the best performance on the field, and these past six months have been incredibly challenging for us. Incredibly challenging.”
He went on to criticize the booing fans, saying, “You have fans booing you for individuals standing up for their beliefs. There are millions of others who support this cause, and we have consulted with every team in the league about our actions. Yet, we have fans booing us in our own stadium. How disgraceful is that? Honestly, it made me angry, to put it mildly.”
While over 5,000 fans were permitted to attend the game, reports indicate that only 2,912 were present. Prior to entry, each attendee was required to sign legal waivers promising not to hold the league or teams liable if they contracted COVID-19.
Cannon also mentioned, “There were people chanting ‘U-S-A,’ but they fail to grasp the significance of kneeling.”
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